Skyehaven's Cool Thing of the Day » learning

Why not just put your phone on vibrate?

Skyehaven — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:22:06 +0000

The website claims that a significant number of people over 25 can’t hear this tone. Well, I now have the headache to prove that I can. But it got me to wondering. I haven’t had a hearing test in … well … Let’s just say since I left public school and leave it at that, shall we?

Anyway, since I was wondering and I have a ‘satiable curiosity, I went looking for a website that talks more about this teenage mosquito tone thing. The one I found was interesting, but really didn’t go into the depth I was looking for. A bit more poking around and I found a site where you can download your very own mosquito ringtones, which has a pretty substantial list of tones in various formats that you can try out. Their recommendation is that you go down the list for the last tone you can hear, as that will make it less likely that the adults around you who don’t want you getting cell phone calls will be able to hear it. I can hear them all, so I guess I still have the ears of a teenager.

Not content there, I wondered if there are full-blown hearing tests online. Glory be, there are. There’s too much background noise at work for me to try it, but I’ll give it a whirl when I get home!

What about you? What’s the last mosquito ringtone YOU can hear?

Galileo’s head was on the block

Skyehaven — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 02:08:20 +0000

His crime was looking up the truth. Now you too can see our solar system in much the same way Galileo did. You even have the option to get a Galileoscope already built or as a kit to share with your kiddos. If you haven’t been outside with them recently to look at the stars, please do. Astronomy is often a child’s first introduction to real science. I’ll never forget my husband sitting down with our son when he was about three, using a paper plate to explain non-Euclidian geometry with him. Did any of it stick? Nah… But it’s the conversation that counts.

There’s probably going to be lots more really cool stuff coming out this year having to do with astronomy, since it’s the International Year of Astronomy and all. Which is pretty darned nifty in and of itself.

Teats is pronounced with a short ‘i’ sound

Skyehaven — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 17:46:33 +0000

Don’t believe me? Check out the dictionary.

Put this way, it’s a wonder any of us English speakers learned our language. And spelling errors become far more forgivable.